Hard Conversations

While Dear HBR: is on hiatus, we want to introduce you to HBR’s podcast for young professionals, New Here, hosted by Elainy Mata. Whether it’s your first job or a fresh start, New Here will help you build a meaningful career on your own terms. In this episode, Elainy and comedian ...  Show more

This new podcast features real-life coaching sessions with leaders working to overcome professional challenges. In this episode, host Muriel Wilkins speaks with a woman who’s been walking a tightrope between addressing a superior’s microaggressions and making her team feel safe. ...  Show more

It might be a confrontation with a colleague who is constantly late to meetings. You might need to finally ask for that raise. Or it could be approaching a coworker to disclose a mental health issue you’ve been struggling with. We all face difficult conversations - and difficult ...  Show more

When you know you need to have a hard conversation with someone—but your stomach is tense and your hands are sweating and you want to put it off for as long as you can… how do you find the courage—and the plan—to have a conversation that delivers a better outcome while preserving ...  Show more

Harvard Business School Professors Bill Kerr and Joe Fuller talk to leaders grappling with the forces reshaping the nature of work. 

Have you ever avoided talking to a co-worker who is not performing up to expectations, or put off telling a client you can’t take their case just because you don’t want to have that uncomfortable conversation? How you set expectations can make difficult discussions more productiv ...  Show more